Sample Focus Group Discussion Guides – for Mothers/Caregivers and Health workers

Sample introduction:

Good afternoon! My name is [Name] and I will be facilitating the discussion this afternoon. This is [Name2] and he/she will be taking notes and helping me. Thank you so much for taking the time to be here today. We will be discussing childhood vaccinations and we are interested in finding out from you what you know about vaccination of children in this community. This information will be anonymized and will be treated as confidential. If at any point you do not want to continue participating in this discussion, you are free to leave the group and we will no longer be asking you any more questions. The information discussed today will help us to understand what can be done to improve childhood vaccination programmes in [Country].

If recording:

We would like to record this discussion. Even though we will be taking notes, we are not able to write everything down and want to be able to go back and listen to any information we might have missed. All notes and the recording will be kept safely and securely. Is everyone okay with recording this conversation? (Confirm that all participants consent)
We ask that you please take turns while speaking and do not interrupt anyone. We are interested in what all of you have to say, so please be respectful of each other’s opinions. This discussion will last about 45 minutes.
Before we begin, does anyone have any questions?

Sample FGD questions for Mothers/Caregivers

Opening questions:
  1. What are some health problems that affect children in this community?
  1. How are your children protected from being affected by these health problems/diseases?
  2. Probe: If vaccination is not mentioned, ask:What about vaccination?
Key questions: General vaccination
  1. How does the community feel about childhood vaccination?
  1. What can you tell us about the childhood vaccination servicesin this community?
  2. Probe for levels of satisfaction with the vaccination services they receive from public and/or private clinics/hospitals, ask: What is good and what is not so good about the vaccination services?
  3. Probe for reasons for their satisfaction or dissatisfaction, ask:Why?
  1. In your opinion, what are some of the ways these vaccination services can be improved?
Key questions: Vaccine compliance
  1. In [Country], as you may be familiar with, the national programme sets a vaccine schedule. How would you describe compliance with vaccination schedules in this community?
  1. Many children do NOT receive all their recommended vaccines on time. What are some of the reasons children do NOT receive all their vaccines at the right time?
  1. What will be your suggestion for helping children receive all their recommended vaccines according to the schedule?
Key questions: Missed opportunities
  1. In some cases, children who visit health facilities, for different reasons, still do not get all the needed vaccines. In your opinion, what are some reasons some health workers may not be willing or able to give children all their recommended vaccines on time, when they visit the clinic/hospital?
  1. Some children receive some, but not all the vaccines they need. In your opinion, what are some of the reasons mothers/caregivers may not be willing or able to ensure that their children receive all their recommended vaccines on time when they visit the clinic/hospital?
  1. What are the ways you can recommend for ensuring that children receive all their recommended vaccines on time whenever they have the opportunity of visiting a clinic/hospital for any reasons? (They may be visiting for immunization, nutrition, treatment of other ailments, or accompanying an adult to the clinic/hospital)?
Closing questions
  1. Are there any additional suggestions/ideas you would like to share at this time? Anything else to add?
  2. Remember to close on a positive message about vaccines and reducing MOVs!

Sample FGD questions for Health Workers

(Similar questions can also be used for the in-depth interviews, see Task 3.8)
Opening questions:
1.What are someof the health problems that affect children you see at this facility?
2.How are children protected from being affected by these health problems/diseases? (Probe for individual health workers’ roles;If vaccination is not mentioned, ask:What about vaccination?)
Key questions: Vaccination services
3.What can you tell us about vaccination services in this health facility?
a.Probe for levels of satisfaction among clients with the vaccination services they are providing
b.Probe for perceptions regarding the vaccination programme among different groups including health workers
4.What are some challenges to delivering vaccination services at this health facility?
5.In your opinion, what are some of the ways vaccination services can be improved?
Key questions: Vaccination compliance
6.In [Country], as you are aware, the national programme sets a vaccine schedule. How would you describe compliance with the vaccination schedules in this community?
a.Probe for proportion of children that receive all their recommended vaccines on time
b.Probe for reasons why some of the children DO NOT receive all their vaccines at the appropriate time
7.In some other health facilities, we have been told that there are circumstances when children that come to the facility are not vaccinated. Can you tell me the circumstances when you, or other staff, would not vaccinate a child in this clinic?
a.Probe for contraindications: over age, vial doses, vaccination days, no vaccines, etc.
8.What are your suggestions for helping children to catch up with their vaccinations, if needed?
Key questions: Missed opportunities
9.Some children who may not be up-to-date on their vaccinations may visit a health facility for a variety of reasons (immunization, nutrition, treatment of other ailments, accompanying an adult to the clinic/hospital) and may leave without receiving any immunizations. What is your experience with such children at this health facility?
a.Probe: How can they be made to receive the vaccines they are eligible for when they visit the clinic?
10.What strategies, if any, can the ministry or this health facility employ to improve the number of children receiving all of their recommended vaccinations on time?
a.Probe for ideas or strategies that other critical actors/entities can employ
11.In your opinion, what are the possible barriers to implementing any of theseinterventions to reduce missed opportunities?
a.Probe for possible solutions to any barriers that have been mentioned
Closing questions
12.Are there any additional suggestions/ideas you would like to share at this time? Anything else to add?

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